'It must
be apparent to every reader of the Bible that when man was placed on probation
it was for his life.
When he
sinned, he incurred the penalty of the law which said he should die.
The
sentence against his transgression was that he should return unto the ground
out of which he was taken. The means employed to execute the sentence, was
depriving him of access to the tree of life lest he should eat and live
forever.
But one
contrast is presented throughout the Bible: it is of life and death.
Death is
an enemy, which Jesus came to overcome and to destroy. 1 Cor 15:26; 2 Tim.
1:10.
1Co
15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
2Ti
1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus
Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel
The race
of man is literally a dying race; without Jesus there is no hope.
The earth
has become a vast charnel house, marked with its graves from one end to the
other. Death severs the dearest ties of earth; it bereaves hearts, and brings
the keenest anguish to loving ones. Its conquests are well-nigh universal; it
holds in its gloomy prison house the untold millions of our ill-fated race.
But, as an
enemy to the saints of God, death itself is doomed. The rapacious grave shall
be robbed of its spoil. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,”
said an inspired apostle, “concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow
not, even as others which have no hope.”
He then
proceeds to remove all occasion of ignorance, and give them the ground of
gospel hope concerning their loved ones sleeping in death. He bases all on the
fact “that Jesus died and rose again.”
And then rehearses in order the
- 199 - J.
H. Waggoner
future
facts in which the hope of the Christian may rest.
1. The
Lord, “the Lord himself, shall descend,” and the trumpet shall sound.
2. The
sleeping ones, “the dead in Christ shall rise.”
3. We that
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them, and so ever be with
the Lord.
His
conclusion is: “Comfort one another with these words.”
And this,
said the apostle, “we say unto you by the word of the Lord.”
1Th
4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are
alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are
asleep.
1Th
4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first:
1Th
4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.
1Th
4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Here is no
conjecture; faith rests here without a doubt. Let the mourning, bereaved ones
look up; redemption draws near. Oh, the glory of that day when Jesus shall come
to gather his ransomed ones home. The voice of the archangel shall open the
graves of the righteous ones, who once felt the sting of death. In the bloom of
immortal youth they rise to meet their Lord. Remembering the pains of death
which they once endured, and conscious that, for them all pains and tears have
forever passed away, they shout in triumph, “O death, where is thy sting?”
Looking down upon those dusty beds where they have long slumbered, they
exultingly ask: “O grave, where is thy victory?” And the translated ones join
with them in one rapturous song: “Thanks
be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Well might
the lamented Bliss anticipate the triumph of that day when he sung:— “All joy
his loved ones bringing, When Jesus comes; All praise through Heaven ringing
When Jesus comes; All beauty bright and vernal, When Jesus comes; All glory,
grand, eternal, When Jesus comes.”
When this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on
immortality,” and God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of his people;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, then we shall
realize, as we cannot now, the value of the blood of Jesus and the glory of his
Atonement. Then, and not till then, can the church sing her song of complete
victory; then, for the saints, love’s redeeming work will indeed be done.
(To be
continued)
(Excerpt
from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:
THE
ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE
(1884)
BY ELDER J. H. WAGGONER
No comments:
Post a Comment